Natalie Cole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Natalie Cole
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Cole in 2013
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Natalie Maria Cole
February 6, 1950 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | December 31, 2015 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park |
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| Years active | 1956–2015 |
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| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Nat King Cole Maria Cole |
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| Musical career | |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
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Natalie Maria Cole (born February 6, 1950 – died December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of the famous American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. Natalie became very popular in the mid-1970s. This happened after she released her first album, Inseparable (1975). The album featured hit songs like "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" and its title track.
Her success led her to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards. She was the first African-American artist and the first R&B singer to win this award. More hit songs followed, such as "Sophisticated Lady" (1976), "I've Got Love on My Mind", and "Our Love" (1977).
After releasing several R&B albums, she changed her style and became a pop singer. This happened with her 1987 album Everlasting. It included her popular cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". In the 1990s, she sang traditional pop songs, many of which her father had sung. This led to her biggest success, Unforgettable... with Love. This album sold over 7 million copies in the U.S. and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Natalie Cole was the first African-American woman to win this award.
Throughout her life, Natalie Cole won nine Grammy Awards. She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. She sold more than 30 million records around the world. In 1999, she received the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She was also added to the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2021. She has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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Natalie Cole's Early Life
Natalie Cole was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents were the famous singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole and former Duke Ellington Orchestra singer Maria Hawkins Ellington. She grew up in a wealthy area of Los Angeles called Hancock Park. Natalie often described her family as "the black Kennedys". She was surrounded by many great singers of jazz, soul, and blues.
When she was just 6 years old, Natalie sang on her father's Christmas album, The Magic of Christmas. She started performing on stage at age 11. Natalie grew up with an older adopted sister, Carole "Cookie" Cole, an adopted brother, Nat "Kelly" Cole, and younger twin sisters, Timolin and Casey.
Natalie went to Northfield School for Girls, a special preparatory school. Her father passed away in February 1965. She later attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She studied Child Psychology and also learned German. She graduated in 1972.
Her Amazing Music Career
Starting Her Singing Journey
Natalie Cole grew up listening to many different types of music. After graduating from college in 1972, she began singing in small clubs with her band, Black Magic. Club owners were often excited to have her because she was Nat King Cole's daughter. However, they were sometimes surprised when she sang R&B and rock songs instead of jazz.
With help from songwriters and producers Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy, Natalie recorded some songs. These recordings led to a contract with Capitol. In 1975, she released her first album, Inseparable. This album quickly became a huge success. The song "This Will Be" was a top ten hit. It also won her a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Another song from the album, "Inseparable", was also a hit. Both songs reached number one on the R&B music charts. Natalie also won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. This made her the first African-American artist to achieve this honor.
Becoming a Star
Natalie Cole quickly became a big star. In 1976, she released her second album, Natalie. This album also sold very well, thanks to songs like "Sophisticated Lady" and "Mr. Melody".
Her third album, Unpredictable, released in 1977, became her first record to sell over a million copies. This was mainly due to the number-one R&B hit "I've Got Love on My Mind". Later in 1977, Natalie released her fourth album, Thankful. This album also sold over a million copies and included another popular song, "Our Love". Natalie was the first female artist to have two albums sell over a million copies in one year.
To celebrate her success, Natalie had her own TV special. She also appeared on the TV special "Sinatra and Friends". In 1978, she released her first live album, Natalie Live!. In early 1979, Natalie received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That same year, she released two more albums, I Love You So and a duet album with Peabo Bryson called We're the Best of Friends. Both albums sold very well, showing her continued popularity.
Her Big Comeback
After some time away from the spotlight, Natalie Cole made a big comeback. In 1987, she released the album Everlasting. This album brought her back to the top of the music charts. It featured popular songs like "Jump Start (My Heart)", the ballad "I Live for Your Love", and her dance-pop cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". Everlasting sold over a million copies, becoming her first album to do so in ten years.
In 1989, she released Good to Be Back. This album included the hit song "Miss You Like Crazy", which was very popular in the United Kingdom.
Natalie Cole released her best-selling album in 1991, called Unforgettable... with Love. On this album, she sang songs that her famous father had recorded. This was special because she had not wanted to cover his songs in the past. The album featured an amazing duet between Natalie and her father on the title song, "Unforgettable". This song became a hit on the Billboard charts. Unforgettable...with Love sold over 7 million copies in the U.S. and won several Grammys. These included Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.
She continued her success with another album of jazz songs, Take a Look, in 1993. This album also sold very well. A holiday album, Holly & Ivy, was also a success. Another album of classic songs, Stardust, sold over a million copies. It featured another duet with her father on a new version of "When I Fall in Love". This song helped Natalie win another Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
In 1995, Natalie Cole received an honorary music degree from the Berklee College of Music. In 2008, she released Still Unforgettable, which included more songs made famous by her father and Frank Sinatra.
Natalie Cole's Acting Career
Natalie Cole also had a career in acting. She appeared in many concerts and music TV shows. In 1990, she hosted the TV show Big Break, a talent competition.
In 1992, after the success of her Unforgettable: With Love album, a special TV show based on the album was broadcast. This show, Unforgettable, With Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat "King" Cole, was nominated for an Emmy Award. Natalie herself was nominated for her performance.
She also made several acting appearances on television shows. These included I'll Fly Away, Touched by an Angel, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Grey's Anatomy. She played the main role in the TV movie Lily in Winter. In 2001, she starred as herself in Livin' for Love: the Natalie Cole Story. For this role, she won an NAACP Image Award for best actress.
Her Personal Life
Natalie Cole was married three times. She married Marvin Yancy in 1976. They had one son, Robert Adam "Robbie" Yancy, who was also a musician and toured with her. Natalie and Marvin divorced in 1980. Marvin passed away in 1985. In 1989, Natalie married record producer Andre Fischer, and they divorced in 1995. In 2001, she married Bishop Kenneth Dupree, and they divorced in 2004. Her son Robbie passed away in 2017.
Health and Passing
In 2008, Natalie Cole shared that she was facing serious health challenges. She needed dialysis treatments for her kidneys. After asking for help on a TV show, she received a kidney transplant in May 2009.
Natalie Cole had to cancel several events in December 2015 because of her health. Her last musical performance was in Manila. She passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 31, 2015, at the age of 65. Her family said her death was due to heart failure, which was a complication from a lung condition she had been diagnosed with after her kidney transplant. Her family shared a statement saying, "Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain unforgettable in our hearts forever."
Natalie Cole's funeral was held on January 11, 2016, in Los Angeles. Many famous musicians and friends attended, including Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and Lionel Richie. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Awards and Honors
Natalie Cole received many awards throughout her career for her incredible talent.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are very important music awards. Natalie Cole won nine Grammys from 21 nominations.
- In 1976, she won Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "This Will Be".
- In 1977, she won Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "Sophisticated Lady".
- In 1992, she won three Grammys for her album Unforgettable… with Love: Album of the Year, Record of the Year for "Unforgettable" (with Nat King Cole), and Best Traditional Pop Performance.
- In 1994, she won Best Jazz Vocal Performance for Take a Look.
- In 1997, she won Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "When I Fall in Love" (with Nat King Cole).
- In 2009, she won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Still Unforgettable.
Other Awards
- She won the American Music Award for Favorite Female Artist – Soul / Rhythm & Blues in 1977 and 1978.
- In 1991, she won the American Music Award for Favorite Artist – Adult Contemporary.
- She received the Hitmaker Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999.
- In 2000, she won an Outstanding Actress for her role in Livin for Love: The Natalie Cole Story.
- She won the Best Jazz Artist award in 1992 and 2003.
- In 2010, she received the Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2014, she won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding World Music Album for Natalie Cole en Español.
Images for kids
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Cole in 2013
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Natalie and Carole Cole at NBC studios, 1975
